Mayor Longwell: Triple-A Team from New Orleans Seeking to Relocate to Wichita

9/6/2018

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The New Orleans Baby Cakes, of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, have filed a Relocation Application with Minor League Baseball seeking to relocate the club to Wichita. The Relocation Application must be approved by Minor League Baseball and the Pacific Coast League, and reviewed by the Baseball Office of the Commissioner, before the Club can relocate.

The New Orleans Baby Cakes are currently affiliated with the Major League Miami Marlins.

“Triple-A baseball is coming to Wichita because of who we are today and because of who we aspire to be tomorrow,” said Mayor Jeff Longwell. “We’ve worked tirelessly on this deal. It’s not just about another great quality of life amenity, or baseball: this is about investing in our city and continuing to make Wichita a regional destination.”

An official decision from Minor League Baseball and the Pacific Coast League is expected later this year.

Wichita has not had an affiliated team since the Double-A affiliated Wichita Wranglers left the city in 2006.

Lawrence Dumont Stadium is slated to be torn down within a year, and a new stadium to be built on the site using STAR bonds, which capture sales tax revenue in a development area and funnel it to project costs.

The attraction of affiliated baseball was identified in 2016 by Mayor Longwell as a crucial component of his quality of life initiative to rejuvenate the Arkansas River corridor with signature amenities as part of the City’s strategic effort to retain existing and attract new employee talent for Wichita’s businesses.